Black Atom

In my 10 years of schooling I have had a great deal of science projects, but this one really stands out to me ( I actually remember what it is.) This year I had a project for physical science, to build a model of an atom of a specific element, in real life! I was assigned the element ALUMINUMINUMINUM!

For the project we were supposed to have a certain number of protons, electrons, and neutrons. I got lucky with Aluminum, as it only has 13 of each. I had received a base to put my atom around last year from the now juniors, so I had one part done to start. I then had to search for ideas for protons and electrons (since I could just color protons differently to make neutrons.) I had originally wanted everything to be made of aluminum, but since aluminum is not available in large(kind of) balls, I decided to go with ping pong balls for protons and neutrons, and crumpled aluminum foil for electrons.
I worked hard to put it together and not have two protons touch each other ( which is really hard to do with equal amounts of protons and neutrons) since in a real atom, that would cause an implosion from a molecular level. Then, the day the atom is due, what happens, my atom falls, and breaks, making me try to put it back together, before running out of glue.

So, I went into school, and my teacher (thankfully) gave me extra time to fix it. Over the weekend I was with my dad, so I brought it over there and kept trying to put it back together using glue. I went to use the bathroom and when I came back he was burning holes into the ping pong balls to put matchsticks through as a way to keep them together. Needless to say, that didn't work, so when I came back to my mom's that Sunday, I had to start over from scratch.

I cobbled together something using pipe cleaners to hold the electrons, using cotton balls as protons and neutrons and only got a 76 on the assignment. I was so ANGRY at what happened, I worked so hard, only to get ruined by two stupid things, gravity, and my father's idea. I guess that is what happens when people care too much about a project.

To lie or not to lie? That is the question.

In extreme situations a lie can be better than the truth. In most cases, however, it is still much better to lie. Lies may cause a loss of trust for people, but when it comes down to it, a white lie can protect somebody's feelings, and considering how feelings are being put forth as very important (for some reason), it is much better to lie than be ostracized for telling the truth. In my opinion, a possible loss of trust is an acceptable loss for not being insulted and generally better liked by most people. For instance, if someone asks if I like their outfit, but I think it is the most ugly, disgusting outfit I have ever seen, I would still say I like it, because I would be considered a complete jack wagon if I told the truth, and then the truth still would not have done anything.

High School, In A Nutshell

I am in 10th Grade, or in other words, I am a sophomore in High School. I go to a program that allows high schoolers to take college classes at the same time as high school classes. I am currently in an advanced math class compared to my peers, it is a college course, and currently, my only college class. I am in regular classes other than that, and am also taking Spanish 2. In High School there is a great capacity for struggles, yet an even larger capacity for accomplishments, in order to succeed at the incredible task, you have to have an incredible amount of goals to achieve.

I have had many struggles with school. I have no motivation for school stuff, which mostly stems from a mixture of boredom, and hatred of authority (at least those who misuse it.) I also always forget the homework I receive. I always convince myself I will remember it with my brain, but it is a LIE. I get distracted by the rest of the day, and forget what it was about, I usually remember there was homework, I just do not remember what it was. I have issues with orders, because it seems like I an being forced to respect someone else, when they do not respect me enough to ask, or even explain why most of the time. It takes the same amount of time to ask, and it is incredibly rude not to ask or explain why. When

I have had academic accomplishments too. When I was in 1st Grade I was the only 1st grader so I was taught 2nd Grade material for my schools ease. I skipped 2nd Grade as a result. Recently I had a 3.1 gpa for last semester. I haven't accomplished that much else recently, due to my aforementioned struggles.

I have many aspirations for my academic future. I would like to get all A's and B's for my next quarter. By all A's and B's, I mean all A's and one B (English probably) I would also like to learn how to remember what my homework is. I would do much better if I remembered my homework. I would also like to have more fun this semester because part of why I did badly is that I was so bored. I think if I have more fun I will be more motivated to do this sort of thing at home.

No one is perfect, and neither am I, I have my struggles, and my accomplishments. I acknowledge my faults and resolve to change them, I will make my faults into strengths, or work around them. In the end I can only say this, school is a veritable breeding ground for accomplishments and struggles, and tiny goals are what make it possible.

In thick or thin. (whichever is the bad one)

In disasters many people throw aside the safety of themselves to save others lives. But I think most would not. When we look at the news and see people saving lives, it is like seeing your neighbors lawn, all we see are the blades of grass, the good people risking their lives, but we don't see the dirt, the people who ran, who could not help, or decided it was not worth it. I believe there are too many bad, selfish people to think most people would help. I think about a third of people would help.

Portal with Newton

If I could do anything with any person, alive or dead, I would play the portal series with Sir Isaac Newton. I think it would be both hilarious watching him fuss with the controls at first, wondering what the Xbox controller was, getting him acclimated to playing with a controller. It would be awesome to see him struggle to understand what the portals are, then trying to explain it would be a pain (but totally worth it.) He could play by himself and I would silently laugh my butt off watching him play. Then enjoy playing co-op portal with him, working together to kick Glados' butt out this universe. We would talk about Apertures (openings or pOrtals.) And then, if we could do another, we would watch Pacific Rim, because it is like they took that movie premise out of my subconscious and then added a cherry on top.

If I could live anywhere.

If I could live anywhere I would live on the International Space Station. I would live there because everything up there is just beautiful. I could stare out the window at the cosmos for hours and then stare out a different window at Earth. I could go on spacewalks. I could fix telescopes and satellites in my spacesuit. I could operate robots with a computer. I could work with giant humanoid robots. I could mess around with the robots. I could research the effects of low gravity on animals, chemicals, even fire. I could research the cosmos. I could sleep whenever I like. I could eat whatever I’d like. I could Skype my friends and family. I could play catch with an astronaut as the ball. I could float around the place like a balloon. I could chase floating M&M’s and catch them in my mouth. I could do anything. 

Terry Pratchett, an excellent review, by Anakin Ligman

My favorite author is hands down Terry Pratchett, he is an excellent satirist, (in other words, he makes fun of things) he is incredibly creative, and great with words. When i was introduced to his writing with the book Hogswatch, I fell in love with his writing, I laughed the whole time I read, in fact my mom yelled at me because I was reading until 3 in the morning. Of all his books, I really enjoy the Discworld series, which is technically 39 books. The Discworld Series is a set of smaller series on a world called Discworld, a spinning disc on the back of four elephants on the back of a giant sea turtle that swims through space. My favorite series is the Samuel Vimes series, and my favorite book of this is Night Watch. Samuel Vimes' wife is about to go in labor and Vimes, the head of City Watch, chases a serial killer named Carcer to the top of the University, and a lightning strike hits the Library, causing the immense magic to send the both of them 30 years to the past, where he takes the place of his mentor in the City Watch, on the day of the Revolution of Ankh-Morpork. He goes to the wizards to send him back home, but before he can contact them he is sent to jail by the younger him. He has to protect his younger self, survive the revolution and get home before his wife has his child, did I mention that Carcer is there and is determined to stop him.